KEY AND EXPLANATION

Part 1
1. G
1.37 According to the WEF, these high levels of inequality are a result of the country’s
prioritization of economic growth, rather than social equity over the past decades.
2. D
2.20 but others say we should keep a close eye on the future of Singapore’s economy, due
to slight dips in its domestic property market as well as external factors
3. J
2.49 Its central location in Europe as well as its corporate tax breaks, which has caused
big companies to place their corporate headquarters there.
4. B
3.40 According to IMF projections, the autonomous region is slated to become richest
place on earth by 2020. Despite its wealth, many of the region’s citizens struggle to make
ends meet with basic necessities, like groceries becoming increasingly unaffordable.
5. E
4.10 The country discovered a massive natural gas field off its northeast coast in the
1970s.
A. A crash in an industry is closely linked to foreign affairs. (no link)
C. According to the IMF, this country is following unsustainable development pathways.
(the WEF not the IMF)
D. With GDP per capita at nearly $80,000, this country is the richest place in Europe.
(Ireland has GDP per capita nearly $80,000 but Luxembourg is the richest place in
Europe)
H. Nearly 40 per cent of the total proven natural gas reserves globally are located in this
place. (14% not 40%)
I. This is a success story of a formula implemented to overthrow an autonomous regime. (
to support rather than overthrow)
K. Holding the largest natural gas reserves, this country claims the first spot of the richest
nation's ranking (the third largest)
Part 2
6. (the) treacherous descent 0.09
7. (a) protective capsule 0.35
8. six-wheeled landing craft 0.53
9. interplanetary exploration 1.27
10. Perseverance 1.33
Part 3
11. B
12. D
13. C
14. A
15. B
Interviewer: This week, we're talking to historians Matt Thomas and Sue Wilkins, who've
recently published their book, Treasures of the Thames. Why did you and Matt decide to
work together on this book, Sue?
Sue: Well, I got to know Matt shortly after I became interested in the Thames and what a
treasure trove it is. As many of your listeners will know, the Thames is a tidal river.
Twice a day, when the tide goes out, large areas of mud are uncovered. In order to dig
in these areas, called the river's foreshore, you must have a permit from the Port of
London Authority. In fact, the only people allowed to dig along certain stretches are a
group of amateur treasure hunters called the Society of Thames Mudlarks, so I became a
member, and that's where I met Matt.
Matt: I'd better explain to listeners that the word `mudlark', and we're not talking about
the bird here, originally referred to the youngsters who would scavenge in the mud
along the sides of the river in the 18th and 19th centuries. They'd search at low tide
for anything that they could sell, like pieces of metal, old rope or coal, for example.
Nowadays, our members comb the Thames foreshore, armed with metal detectors, and
wearing overalls, gloves and rubber boots.
Sue: Of course the river was very polluted years ago, and it can still be quite dangerous if
you don't know what you're doing. Matt has a lot more experience than I have in the
field...
Matt: And Sue's a great writer, so we decided to join forces. By the way, the word
'treasures' in the title of the book doesn't refer to gold, silver or precious stones, which are
seldom found. Treasures, true treasures, are the things that we find which teach us about
the people who lived in London in the past.
Sue: That's right, but valuable artefacts like gold necklaces or rings with precious stones
in them do occasionally turn up. Of course, the society has to report all historical finds to
the Museum of London... To be quite honest, when I was little and visited London
with my parents, I'd look at the brown water of the Thames and the muddy
foreshore and think, 'How disgusting!' I certainly wouldn't have dreamt of rummaging
around in that filthy mud to look for archaeological artefacts. Of course, the Thames is
still an awful colour most days, but it's not as dirty as it used to be.
Matt: No ... And the thrill of discovering rare or really old objects helps us to overcome
any squeamishness we might have ... What we're really interested in are artefacts that tell
us about how people lived hundreds of years ago. The Thames flows through the very
heart of London and, in the past, people relied on boats to travel up and down the river,
and even across it. Accidents would happen and things would fall overboard; of course,
people's rubbish would end up in the Thames, too. As much as seven metres of foreshore
is exposed at low tide, and this is actually one of Britain's most important archaeological
sites.
Sue: Something we've covered in the book, and which I find very interesting, are small
objects believed to be mediaeval toys. The 'Mudlarks' have found tiny cannons, metal
figures and miniature household objects like jugs or stools made of pewter...
Matt: That's an alloy of tin and lead, by the way.
Sue: That's right, and ... and some of these objects date back to the 13th century. They're
very rare, actually, because pewter corrodes quickly under normal conditions, but the
thick mud of the Thames prevents corrosion and helps to preserve them. Some of these
items are so beautifully made, they may even have been ornaments. But experts are sure
that a lot of them were toys.
Matt: This overturns some theories which suggest that people didn't get very attached to
their children in the Middle Ages because they had so many and because a lot of them
died.
Sue: These discoveries suggest that, back then, parents cared just as much about their
children as we do now, and went out of their way to provide them with toys. And we're
finding these toys next to the River Thames, hundreds of years later.
Interviewer: Well, I'm sure... [FADE] [pause 10 seconds] Now you will hear Part 3 again.
[repeat part 3] [pause 5 seconds] That is the end of Part 3.

Part 4.
16. 0.17: legislative efforts
17. 0.27: defacto family caregiver
18. 0.34: parent-teacher meetings
19. 1.20: begs the question
20. 1.37: elementary school age children
21. 2.08: misaligned school schedules
22. 2.15: in silos
23. 2.55: leveraging community resources
24. 3.55: sync up perfectly
25. 4.12: multi-layered approach